Snorkeling in mountain rivers offers window to the underwater world

Cool off with a snorkeling trip on the Little Tennessee River on Saturday, Aug. 14, while gaining a new perspective on aquatic life.

Snorkeling reveals a whole new world of fish, mussels, salamanders and the like that live below the surface. The outing is being hosted jointly by the Western North Carolina Alliance, the Little Tennessee Watershed Association and the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee.

Dr. Bill McLarney, an aquatic biologist who has dedicated his life to studying the Little Tennessee, will lead the trip, sharing his vast knowledge of the ecology of the river, the creatures in the river, and threats to the watershed.

Snorkels, masks and wetsuits will be provided for those who need them. Cost is $5 for members of any of the three organizations or $10 for nonmembers. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or 828.369.6402.

Reading Room

So, Scout (Jean Louise) comes back home to Maycomb — where “everyone is either kin or almost kin”— at age 26 and after being “away” and living in New York City for several years. Sixteen years have gone by since we last heard from her in the pages of To Kill a Mockingbird, and the Maycomb she comes home to isn’t the same Maycomb we know from the 1960 novel.

This Must Be the Place

For the better part of the last decade, my life during the summer was music festivals. From Maine to California, Michigan to Arkansas, I was there, in an endless crowd, cheering on the greatest musicians of our time. In those innumerable moments, I felt more alive, at home, and at peace, than anywhere else in the world.